Prairies increasingly attractive for newcomers to Canada

More immigrants are flocking to the prairies and turning their backs on Ontario — a traditional hub for newcomers to Canada — according to new statistics.

Figures released by Citizenship and Immigration Canada earlier this month reveal that the province experienced a drop in new settlers to 118,114 in 2010 from 148,640 immigrants in 2001.

Toronto, a traditional immigration magnet, saw 92,185 new immigrants in 2010, down from 125,169 in 2001.

Meanwhile, the number of newcomers settling in Manitoba increased to 15,809 in 2010 from 4,591 in 2001; Saskatchewan saw an increase to 7,615 from 1,704; and Alberta saw 32,642 new faces, up from 16,404 a decade earlier.